title: [Usefulness of a real-time quantitative polymerase-chain reaction (PCR) assay for the diagnosis of congenital and postnatal cytomegalovirus infection].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the main virus causing congenital and postnatal infections in the pediatric population. The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of a quantitative real-time PCR in the diagnosis of these infections using urine as a single sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied all the urine samples of newborns (< 7 days) with suspected congenital infection, and urine of patients with suspected postnatal infection (urine negative at birth). Urines were simultaneously studied by cell culture, qualitative PCR (PCRc), and quantitative real-time PCR (PCRq).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We analyzed 332 urine samples (270 to rule out congenital infection and 62 postnatal infections). Of the first, 22 were positive in the PCRq, 19 in the PCRc, and 17 in the culture. PCRq had a sensitivity of 100%, on comparing the culture with the rest of the techniques. Using the PCRq as a reference method, culture had a sensitivity of 77.2%, and PCRc 86.3%. In cases of postnatal infection, PCRq detected 16 positive urines, the PCRq 12, and the cell culture 10. The urines showed viral loads ranging from 2,178 to 116,641 copies/ml.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The genomic amplification technique PCRq in real time was more sensitive than the other techniques evaluated. This technique should be considered as a reference (gold standard), leaving the cell culture as a second diagnostic level. The low cost and the automation of PCRq would enable the screening for CMV infection in large neonatal and postnatal populations.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Virología, Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, Islas Baleares, España. Electronic address: jorge.reina@ssib.es.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reina
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Virología, Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, Islas Baleares, España.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Virología, Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, Islas Baleares, España.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Riera
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Virología, Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, Islas Baleares, España.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Busquets
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Virología, Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, Islas Baleares, España.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morales
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011446:Prospective Studies; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
keywords: Cell culture; Citomegalovirus; Congenital infection; Cultivo celular; Cytomegalovirus; Infección congénita; Infección posnatal; Postnatal infection; Qualitative polymerase-chain reaction; Quantitative; Reacción en cadena de la polimerasa cualitativa; Reacción en cadena de la polimerasa cuantitativa; polymerase-chain reaction